Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Trans Siberian Orchestra Rocks Holiday Opera Live

01/03/2013

Trans Siberian Orchestra Rocks Holiday Opera Live Posted: March 2013 | For Immediate Release

For the first time ever, Trans-Siberian Orchestra performed their acclaimed 2004 rock opera The Lost Christmas Eve live in its entirety. Written by founder Paul ONeill, it tells the uplifting story of redemption and salvation on an enchanting Christmas Eve in New York City. The orchestra takes listeners on a journey deep into their imaginations, from a run-down hotel, to an old toy store, a blues bar and a Gothic Cathedral. The tour, presented by the Hallmark Channel, ran through the end of last year with Clair Global providing exclusive live sound production.

TSO created two separate and complete productions in 2000 to allow the band to cover more ground and they've maintained that format ever since. In 2009, the two tour monitor engineers, Antonio Luna and Chris Hoffmann made the decision to go with the SD7s largely because they had maxed out their D5 consoles. In 2010, both outfits fully upgraded the FOH rigs similarly to a pair of mirrored DiGiCo SD7 systems (comprised of a console with SD-Racks at both FOH and monitor world). The DiGiCo SD7 has been on tour with TSO ever since.

It's interesting, explains current unit monitor engineer, Scott Fraser, that we basically built two identical shows systems for essentially two different shows. While the kits are the same, the way the SD7's are utilized between the two productions is uniquely different.

"In the big picture, having identical consoles for both really kept things simple and provided consistency, from a production and logistics standpoint," said Troy Clair, Clair Global president. "For the operators, it kept the workflow smooth and eliminated compatibility issues."

We started using the SD7 at FOH for the first spring 2010 Beethoven's Last Night tour after having used large analog consoles for the first 11 years, recalled Dave Wittman, FOH engineer for the original TSO production and currently on tour with one of the productions. It was the perfect time to make the switch since we needed a smaller footprint but more inputs as we went back to theatres for the spring tours. I went to Clair Global in Chicago to get some basic orientation with the console. At that time, Michi Tanikawa (current FOH engineer for the second production) was my tech. Once I got the layout to a point where I'd be comfortable, Michi did all the console programming. From then on, we were able to use the saved files from tour to tour with only minimal modifications.

Wittman worked with frontman O'Neill back in the late 70's on a short project. Nearly 17 years later, they hooked up again when Paul needed an engineer to mix the band Savatage's album Dead Winter Dead in 1995. Shortly thereafter, we started recording Paul's new project, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and within a year or two, Paul wanted to tour TSO and asked me to go out and mix the show. I explained that I had never done live sound before, but Paul encouraged me to give it a go. Well, here we are 14 years later and I'm having a blast! I've been working with Paul ever since, recording and mixing all of TSO's studio albums and a live show ever since.

In total, each TSO unit has approximately 65-80 inputs for drums, bass, two guitars, four keyboards, 12 vocal mics, eight live strings, and audience mics with another 15 inputs for spares and utility stuff. I probably haven't scratched the surface using all the features on the SD7 that I could, Wittman laughs. On the other hand, I try to keep things simple and the SD7 does everything we need. I have always had two or three outboard reverbs and a bunch of compressors. Now, having all this onboard is perfect. Flexibility is key with this console; I know it's there, and it more than meets my needs. Additionally, we record each show to Digital Performer and the simplicity of interfacing 80 channels via MADI with two cables and the ability to playback and refine your mix later is a tremendous help. Not to mention, the sonic quality is superb.

A self-professed analog guy who has worked with TSO for the past 5-6 years, Michihiro Michi Tanikawa happily and willingly concedes to the SD7 at FOH for the West Coast unit. I like analog consoles, but we can't bring them on tour, so that's why I stick with the SD7. It makes everything sound more analog with digital convenience. I had been using a D5 for a long time, which made it easy to start using the SD7the faders and layout is set up very much like an analog console unlike some of the other digital console's out there. I still like the analog console sound, but the SD7 always sounds accurate, every day on different gigs and takes up less space. Also, they are great for doing multiple recordings and virtual soundchecks.

I love the console's basic logistics and layout; it's very similar to the D5. And it sounds so great amazing! The SD7 has a more hi-fi' sound especially for TSO. And because our audience ranges from young children to adults, we keep the volume comfortable for everyone, while still being a powerful rock show. There are narration parts, too, that must sound clear so everybody can understand what is being said. It's also fun to change the EQ just a little bit and hear how it alters the sound drastically. The only outboard compression I'm using is a Smart C2 compressor to make it a little bit warmer and analog-sounding before I send it to the PA. The band loves the console and the production loves it too.

At monitor world, the configuration for each outfit is a mix of wedges and in-ears: 24 mixes of Sennheiser IEM (8 mixes of 2050 and 16 of G3), two stereo mixes of Clair CM 22 and two mixes of Clair SRM, with the wedges all powered and processed by Clair StakRac with Lab Gruppen PLM20000Q.
LINK: http://www.digico.biz/docs2/latest_news/EFykVAEAupmMVPfljo.shtml...
See more stories from digico

Most recent headlines

05/01/2027

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be demoed at CES 2026

Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...

09/10/2026

Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026

September 10 2026, 06:00 (PDT) Dolby Expands Dolby OptiView Platform with New Capabilities at IBC 2026 New Sports Intelligence helps providers better unders...

07/10/2026

Dalet Flex LTS Delivers Smarter Media Operations from Ingest to Distribution

Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, today announced the latest Long-Term Supported (LTS) release of Dalet Flex. Build...

18/09/2026

SVG GameDay, Ep. 31: Seattle Mariners Tim Walsh - Creative Content in the Emerald City

In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...

18/09/2026

Qvest Appoints Jens Miedek as SVP Sales, Media and Entertainment

Qvest has appointed Jens Miedek as Senior Vice President Sales, Media and Entertainment. Before joining Qvest, Miedek spent 16 years at Riedel Communications an...

18/09/2026

Fonn Group Acquires everviz, Relaunches as Teikna Graphics Platform

Fonn Group has acquired full ownership of everviz, a cloud-native platform for interactive charts, maps, and data-driven graphics, and will rebrand it as Teikna...

18/09/2026

OWC Acquires OpenDrives to Expand Enterprise Storage Portfolio

Other World Computing (OWC) has announced the acquisition of OpenDrives, a provider of software-defined video and rich media storage management solutions. The a...

18/09/2026

Kaltura and Verimatrix Partner on Content Security for OTT and Cloud TV

Kaltura and Verimatrix have announced a partnership integrating Verimatrix's Digital Rights Management and security capabilities into Kaltura's Cloud TV...

18/09/2026

Movicom's Robycam Aerial Cable System Deployed at World Nomad Games

The sixth edition of the World Nomad Games combined traditional sports, large-scale cultural performances, and some decidedly modern broadcast technology. Held ...

18/09/2026

DAZN and Super League Basketball Extend Partnership for 2026-27 Season

DAZN and Super League Basketball (SLB) have extended their partnership for the 2026-27 season. Every Championship, Cup, and Play-Off fixture will be available l...

18/09/2026

Nielsen Shifts Streaming Content Ratings to Daily Delivery Cadence

Nielsen has announced that its Streaming Content Ratings (SCR) product will move from weekly to daily data delivery, with clients now receiving viewership data ...

18/09/2026

ABC to Air LALIGAs ElClsico for First Time on October 25

ESPN will present LALIGA's ElCl sico on ABC for the first time, with FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid airing Sunday, October 25 at 4 p.m. ET. A one-hour pre-mat...

18/09/2026

University of Pennsylvania and JMI Sports Extend Multimedia Rights Partnership Through 2035-36

The University of Pennsylvania's Division of Recreation and Intercollegiate ...

18/09/2026

Charlotte Hornets Name DAZN Exclusive Direct-to-Consumer Streaming Partner

The Charlotte Hornets have announced DAZN as their exclusive direct-to-consumer streaming partner for the 2026-27 NBA season. The service launches immediately, ...

18/09/2026

With New AM Radio Act, Live Sports Remain on the Air - and on the Road

Broadcast sports' original medium will let drivers keep on hearing the plays thanks to a new bill set to pass the Senate....

18/09/2026

Apple TV Expands iPhone Camera Deployment for Friday Night Baseball' Finale at Dodger Stadium

Fourteen iPhone 18 Pro devices - eight connected over a T-Mobile Private 5G Netw...

18/09/2026

Minnesota Lynx to Air Final Regular Season Local Broadcast on FOX 9+

The Minnesota Lynx have announced that their final local broadcast of the 2026 regular season will air free on FOX 9 following the shutdown of Victory . The Ly...

18/09/2026

Monumental+ Now Available on Prime Video

Monumental Sports Network (MNMT) has announced that its Monumental+ streaming service is now available as a subscription through Prime Video, giving Capitals an...

18/09/2026

WTGL Announces Inaugural Season Schedule on ESPN, ABC, and ION

WTGL, the women's team golf league created by TMRW Sports in partnership with the LPGA, has announced its inaugural season schedule. The season premieres Su...

18/09/2026

Ratings Roundup: NFL Week 1 Down 13% From Record 2025; ESPN Earns Its Best US Open Mens Final on Record

Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent ratings news and is derived from press re...

18/09/2026

SNS Wins IAMT Award For Addressing What Video Editors Need In The AI Era

Studio Network Solutions (SNS) has won Best Journal Article at the 2026 IAMT Impact Awards for What Video Editors Need When Everything Is Changing Around Them, ...

18/09/2026

ReSing Voices Vol 2 from IK Multimedia

10 new voice models join line-up The latest expansion for IK Multimedia's AI-powered vocal-modelling software has arrived, delivering a set of 10 new vo...

18/09/2026

Museum of Synthesizers present the Arturia World Tour

A day of hands-on synthesis, sound design & performance On Saturday 26 September 2026, The Museum of Synthesisers will be hosting a full day of hands-on syn...

18/09/2026

Fix It or Risk It: recognize risk in ordinary moments

HPA is supporting Fix It or Risk It, a non-commercial, industry-wide public-service campaign helping organizations across the media and entertainment supply cha...

18/09/2026

AgileTV wraps up IBC 2026 with two industry awards

AgileTV has successfully wrapped up its participation at IBC 2026 in Amsterdam, following four days of conversations with customers, partners and industry profe...

18/09/2026

aconnic AG invites to a Virtual Investor Conference

aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, invites its shareholders and investors to a Virtual Investor Conference on Tuesday, September 29th, 2026, at 11.00 am. ...

18/09/2026

DHD Demonstrates the Future of Broadcast Audio Production...

DHD reports a high level of interest in its range of audio production equipment on all four days of the September 11-14 International Broadcasting Convention in...

18/09/2026

Sonnet Announces Thunderbolt 5 eGPU With 850-Watt Power Supply and Integrated Dock for Windows 11 Computers

Sonnet Announces Thunderbolt 5 eGPU With 850-Watt Power Supply and Integrated Do...

18/09/2026

DeckBridge adds live Resolve playback and Fairlight controls to Stream Deck

DeckBridge adds live Resolve playback and Fairlight controls to Stream Deck Brie Clayton September 17, 2026 0 Comments DeckBridge starting profiles ac...

18/09/2026

Learn to arrange tracks using Color With Live's Free Stencil Pack

Learn to arrange tracks using Color With Live's Free Stencil Pack Brie Clayton September 17, 2026 0 Comments Stencils are Color With Live's or...

18/09/2026

Berklee Establishes Susan Tedeschi Scholarship in Honor of Grammy-Winning Alumna

Berklee Establishes Susan Tedeschi Scholarship in Honor of Grammy-Winning Alumna The scholarship is announced as Tedeschi returns to headline the Berklee Bloc...

18/09/2026

The inside scoop on attention-grabbing market assets from those in the know

The inside scoop on attention-grabbing market assets from those in the know 17 September 2026 (L-R): Sophie Green, Todd Brown and Edwina Waddy Find this episo...

18/09/2026

The new iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch Series 12, and AirPods 5 now available to buy on Sky Mobiles award-winning network

Friday 18 September 2026 The new iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, Apple Watch ...

18/09/2026

Grand finale: Bringing a distinctly stylized visual identity to all five seasons of The Boys

Senior Colorist Siggy Ferstl of Company 3 has been grading The Boys since the sh...

17/09/2026

Prime Video Embarks on Fifth Exclusive Season of Thursday Night Football With Innovation, Experience in Tow

Lions vs. Bills will also be the first regular-season game at new Highmark Stadi...

17/09/2026

Teradek Launches Bolt 7 with Integrated 900MHz Data Pipeline

Teradek has announced Bolt 7, a wireless video and data system that adds an integrated 900MHz radio to the Bolt's zero-delay video pipeline. The 900MHz chan...

17/09/2026

DAZN Announces Three Executive Appointments

DAZN has announced three appointments to its executive leadership team, all reporting to CEO Shay Segev effective immediately. Patrick Delany has been appointe...

17/09/2026

Monumental Sports and Entertainment Announces Leadership Changes

Monumental Sports and Entertainment (MSE) has announced a leadership restructuring. Zach Leonsis has been named President and Vice Chairman, a newly created pos...

17/09/2026

CP Communications and Red House Streaming Named 2026 Best of Florida Winners

CP Communications has been named Best of Florida for Audio-Visual Services, and its subsidiary Red House Streaming has been named Best Movie and Recording Studi...

17/09/2026

Scripps Sports and ION to Broadcast Shriners Childrens East-West Bowl

Scripps Sports and ION have announced a broadcast partnership for the Shriners Children's East-West Bowl, the nation's oldest college all-star football ...

17/09/2026

espnW Announces Full Agenda for 2026 Women + Sports Summit

The 17th annual espnW: Women + Sports Summit, presented by Toyota, will take place October 14-16 at the Ojai Valley Inn in Ojai, California, with virtual attend...

17/09/2026

PAMA and Shure Announce 2026 Mark Brunner Professional Audio Scholarship Recipients

The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Incorporated have...

17/09/2026

LNK Group Migrates Five Networks to Grass Valley AMPP

Lithuanian broadcaster LNK Group has completed a migration of playout and media management for its five national television networks - LNK, BTV, TV1, InfoTV, an...

17/09/2026

Net Insight Establishes Pan-Asian Live Media Network for Nimbra 520 Trials

Net Insight has announced a pan-Asian live media network created with its regional partners, giving broadcasters, production companies, and media service provid...

17/09/2026

SVG Students to Watch: Adam Black, University of South Florida

After a high school football injury, the Orlando native found a new path in video production, gaining experience on ESPN college football broadcasts, Tampa Bay ...

17/09/2026

Image-Line & Antares reveal AutoTune Go

Popular DAW gains free pitch-correction tool Image-Line have teamed up with Antares to kit their popular DAW software out with a built-in pitch-correction p...

17/09/2026

Gibson & Baggs unveil HiFi DNA pickup

Promises unprecedented realism, dynamic nuance and clarity Gibson have teamed up with acoustic pickup experts Baggs, creating a next-generation' pickup...

17/09/2026

VSL introduce Synchron Cimbalom & World Percussion II

Two new libraries join percussion line-up VSL (Vienna Symphonic Library) have just launched two new libraries that bring some intriguing new instruments int...

17/09/2026

Arturia update the MiniFreak

Hardware & plug-in versions gain new features Arturia have just released a free update that brings some significant new features to their MiniFreak synthesi...

17/09/2026

Respected journalist Catalina Flrez to succeed Anton Enus as SBS World News presenter

Respected journalist Catalina Fl rez to succeed Anton Enus as SBS World News pre...